Narrative:

Pre-departure clearance. The dashed lines got us, they contained a SID change that was not noticed! I never had a pre departure clearance SID change before. Pre departure clrncs are getting dangerous, the highlighted changes, dashes are not bold enough, and the original clearance is still on the pre departure clearance! It should not be on it. ATC should back up a pre departure clearance change, at least a readback of the change. Some pre departure clrncs contain dashes that contain information that is in fact no change. Some pre departure clrncs contain *** on domestic rtes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this reporter states that there are many problems with the pre departure clearance system. Not all aircraft that he flies have working ACARS printers. There is no standardization in pre departure clrncs from airport to airport. Many first officer's tend to take the clearance and not share it with the captain. Fat pre departure clearance will give a clearance that ZOA will not accept, it has to be changed in the air. Changes in the pre departure clearance are not properly highlighted in the ACARS printout. All changes should be noted in a voice contact. Pre departure clearance is now SOP at most of the hubs through which he operates, ord is the smoothest system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR FAILED TO FLY THEIR ASSIGNED SID PROPERLY AS THEY FAILED TO NOTE A CHANGE IN THEIR PRE DEP CLRNC.

Narrative: PRE-DEP CLRNC. THE DASHED LINES GOT US, THEY CONTAINED A SID CHANGE THAT WAS NOT NOTICED! I NEVER HAD A PRE DEP CLRNC SID CHANGE BEFORE. PRE DEP CLRNCS ARE GETTING DANGEROUS, THE HIGHLIGHTED CHANGES, DASHES ARE NOT BOLD ENOUGH, AND THE ORIGINAL CLRNC IS STILL ON THE PRE DEP CLRNC! IT SHOULD NOT BE ON IT. ATC SHOULD BACK UP A PRE DEP CLRNC CHANGE, AT LEAST A READBACK OF THE CHANGE. SOME PRE DEP CLRNCS CONTAIN DASHES THAT CONTAIN INFO THAT IS IN FACT NO CHANGE. SOME PRE DEP CLRNCS CONTAIN *** ON DOMESTIC RTES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS RPTR STATES THAT THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE PRE DEP CLRNC SYS. NOT ALL ACFT THAT HE FLIES HAVE WORKING ACARS PRINTERS. THERE IS NO STANDARDIZATION IN PRE DEP CLRNCS FROM ARPT TO ARPT. MANY FO'S TEND TO TAKE THE CLRNC AND NOT SHARE IT WITH THE CAPT. FAT PRE DEP CLRNC WILL GIVE A CLRNC THAT ZOA WILL NOT ACCEPT, IT HAS TO BE CHANGED IN THE AIR. CHANGES IN THE PRE DEP CLRNC ARE NOT PROPERLY HIGHLIGHTED IN THE ACARS PRINTOUT. ALL CHANGES SHOULD BE NOTED IN A VOICE CONTACT. PRE DEP CLRNC IS NOW SOP AT MOST OF THE HUBS THROUGH WHICH HE OPERATES, ORD IS THE SMOOTHEST SYS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.